The present invention relates generally to automotive wheels and wheel assemblies and, in particular, to an apparatus for dispensing adhesive wheel weights for wheel assemblies.
In automobile assembly plants, wheel assemblies, which typically include a flanged wheel having a tire attached thereto, are balanced prior to installation on the vehicle. The wheel assembly is attached to a balancing machine, which analyzes the wheel assembly and provides an output to an operator indicating an amount equal to a weight necessary to balance the wheel assembly. The operator then selects a corresponding weight from a container adjacent his or her workstation. Typically, the workstation includes a large number of containers with weights ranging from ¼ ounce to nine ounces. For example, there may be as many as 36 individual containers, with the operator required to choose the weight needed from the correct container and also keep track of which of the 36 containers are running low on weights and correctly order more parts to fill these containers. A typical prior art wheel assembly having a flanged wheel includes at least one location for attaching “pound on” wheel weights thereto for balancing the wheel assembly prior to attaching the assembly to the vehicle. These weights are typically constructed of lead alloy. The malleable material properties of the lead alloy allow the weight to conform to the attachment point of the wheel flange.
With the introduction of flangeless wheels, the traditional method of balancing tires with the lead alloy “pound on” wheel weights is impractical because there is no location for attaching the “pound on” wheel weights. As a result, adhesive attachment is an alternative method of attaching weights to wheel assemblies. By providing wheel weights on adhesive tape, the wheel weights easily conform to the radius of the wheel. But again, the workstation needs a large number of individual containers. Moreover, vehicle production may be mixing flanged and flangeless wheels, thus requiring containers for both conventional “pound on: weights as well as adhesive attached wheel weights. Consequently, the space required for wheel weight material on the assembly line is prohibitive. Also, the burden on the operator of choosing the weights from one of the very large number of containers, as well as ordering correct replacement parts, is more than is desirable.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide an apparatus for providing and dispensing wheel weights attached to adhesive tape that does not occupy much space in the assembly line.